JEREMY Blood, the head of Scottish & Newcastle, Britain's biggest brewer, has left with immediate effect after 21 years at the firm.
The managing director left the business yesterday "for personal reasons" just a year after the firm's multi-billion-pound takeover by Dutch brewer Heineken.
Blood, who works from the company's UK headquarters in Edinburgh, is one of the few r
emaining S&N pre-takeover "old guard", following the departure of chief executive John Dunsmore and other members of senior management shortly after the acquisition.
Heineken yesterday confirmed it was already recruiting a successor to Blood, adding that current regional president of western Europe for Heineken, Didier Debrosse, would oversee the division in the meantime.
The remaining management team is to run the business on a day-to-day basis until a new MD is hired.
Blood, who joined the Foster's, John Smith's and Newcastle Brown Ale brewer as a graduate trainee in 1988, officially took on the top UK role at the time of the takeover, having spent five months as UK managing director prior to the deal.
He worked his way up through the company, holding a variety of marketing and strategy positions in both the beer and pub retail divisions. It is thought he received a substantial sum from cashing in his share options after the takeover.
Debrosse said: "S&N UK is making good progress in the delivery of its plans. However, for personal reasons, Jeremy has decided to leave the business.
"I would like to thank him for his significant contribution to building both the company and its brand portfolio over the last 20 years and for his work over the last 12 months to integrate S&N and Heineken UK. We wish him well.
"S&N UK has a very strong and experienced management team and excellent employees, who will respond professionally and will remain focused on developing our UK business."
Ex-chief executive Dunsmore left S&N three months after the takeover, later becoming head of Irish Magners cider maker C&C. He was joined at C&C by former S&N chief operations officer Stephen Glancey and his S&N colleague Kenny Neison, who also took on a role at the Irish firm as strategy director. S&N chairman Sir Brian Stewart also stepped down immediately after the takeover.
Earlier this year, Heineken announced it was to write down the value of its UK business – which is mainly made up of S&N – by some £45 million amid a tough trading environment.
The gloomy news came as the brewer announced that its global sales rose 27 per cent in 2008, but said net profit fell 9.5 per cent to 1.01bn.
S&N also owns Edinburgh's sole remaining brewery, Deuchars IPA maker Caledonian, which it bought just before last year's takeover by Heineken.
Blood was yesterday unavailable for comment.
